Children at daycare

Best Child Daycare & Preschools in Rockford, IL

Compare 19 child daycare & preschools in Rockford. Average rating: 4.1/5 stars. See top 10 ranked daycares, compare by type, and find the right childcare for your family.

Rockford, Illinois at a glance

Programs
19
Avg rating
4.1/5
Parent reviews
137
Top rated (4.5+)
4

Rockford has 19 licensed child daycare & preschools with 137 parent reviews averaging 4.1/5.The highest-rated options cluster around the 61107 zip code, averaging 4.4 stars across 5 programs.Start with our top-10 ranked list below or filter by philosophy.

Top 10 Best Rated Daycares in Rockford

Ranked using a weighted score that combines Google rating with the number of parent reviews — daycares with more reviews rank higher than those with a high rating but few reviews. Last updated: March 2026.

  1. 1

    2323 S 6th St, Rockford, IL · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 203 children

    Rockford Day Nursery Early Learning Center receives perfect 5-star ratings from parents who praise the owner-operators Bryan and Amanda for their commitment, experience, and nurturing approach to child development. Parents consistently highlight the clean, safe, well-organized facility with engaging activities and spacious layout that accommodates children of various ages.

    Caring and attentive staffexperienced owners with nearly 2 decades of backgroundclean and well-maintained facilitysafe and secure environment
  2. 2

    2722 Broadway, Rockford, IL · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 60 children

    Parents consistently praise Tender Beginnings Learning Center for its experienced, passionate staff who provide caring and accommodating care. Children are described as happy, relaxed, and well-prepared for kindergarten, with strong emotional connections to their teachers that last years after attending.

    Experienced and passionate staffcaring and accommodating caregiverschildren appear happy and relaxedhelps anxious children adjust
  3. 3
    Circles Of Learning
    4.23 score
    4.4(7)

    5711 Wansford Way, Rockford, IL · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 366 children

    Circles of Learning receives mostly positive reviews, with parents praising the caring staff, child development, and extended hours (6:30am-5:30pm). However, some parents have concerns about frequent unscheduled closures, staffing ratios, and communication issues.

    caring and great staffchild learning and developmentaffordableextended operating hours
  4. 4

    1536 South Main Street, Rockford, IL · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 20 children

    St. Elizabeth Early Childhood Development Program receives consistently positive feedback from families. Parents praise the caring and pleasant staff, safe environment for children, and the facility's community support services. The center is described as inclusive, well-managed, and built on Catholic principles.

    Friendly and helpful staffsafe and supervised environment for childrencommunity-focused programs and servicesfood pantry assistance
  5. 5

    421 Buckbee St, Rockford, IL · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 132 children

    Blackhawk Learning Connection has mixed reviews with stark contrasts between experiences. Positive reviews praise the staff as nice, positive, and caring. However, multiple negative reviews cite poor communication, unprofessional office staff, dietary issues, questionable sick-day policies, and allegations of false reporting to authorities.

    kind and positive staffchildren enjoy attendingfamily-oriented environment
  6. 6

    518 N Court St, Rockford, IL · Child Daycare & Preschools · Capacity: 43 children

    House of Grace Learning Center receives highly polarized reviews. Most parents praise the director Mrs. Brown and staff, citing a nurturing environment, reliable care, and strong community involvement. However, serious allegations include claims of physical abuse resulting in a child's disability and concerns about inconsistent health policy enforcement.

    Nurturing environmentdirector Mrs. Brown highly praisedreliable servicesstaff responsiveness

Rating Distribution

Based on 14 daycares with Google ratings in Rockford

4.5 - 5.0
4
4.0 - 4.4
5
3.0 - 3.9
5
Below 3
0

Best Rated Neighborhoods

Rockford zip codes ranked by average daycare rating

Zip CodeDaycaresAvg. RatingTop Rated
611075
4.4
1

Facility Sizes

Capacity distribution of daycares in Rockford (16–366 children)

Small

up to 30 children

6

Medium

31–75 children

3

Large

76–150 children

7

Very Large

150+ children

6

Top Rated

Highest rated daycares in Rockford based on parent reviews

Rockford Day Nursery Early Learning Ctr

5(9)

2323 S 6th St, Rockford, IL

Rockford Day Nursery Early Learning Center receives perfect 5-star ratings from parents who praise the owner-operators Bryan and Amanda for their commitment, experience, and nurturing approach to child development. Parents consistently highlight the clean, safe, well-organized facility with engaging activities and spacious layout that accommodates children of various ages.

Caring and attentive staffexperienced owners with nearly 2 decades of backgroundclean and well-maintained facility

Tender Beginnings Learning Center Ltd.

5(5)

2722 Broadway, Rockford, IL

Parents consistently praise Tender Beginnings Learning Center for its experienced, passionate staff who provide caring and accommodating care. Children are described as happy, relaxed, and well-prepared for kindergarten, with strong emotional connections to their teachers that last years after attending.

Experienced and passionate staffcaring and accommodating caregiverschildren appear happy and relaxed

Circles Of Learning

4.4(7)

5711 Wansford Way, Rockford, IL

Circles of Learning receives mostly positive reviews, with parents praising the caring staff, child development, and extended hours (6:30am-5:30pm). However, some parents have concerns about frequent unscheduled closures, staffing ratios, and communication issues.

caring and great staffchild learning and developmentaffordable

Shepherd Of Valley Pre-School

4.6(3)

2715 South Mulford Road, Rockford, IL

One parent highlights a peaceful and safe atmosphere with a strong spiritual connection, while another describes the facility as wonderful for worship. A third reviewer notes the space is nice for events like an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, observing that the pastor is also an Eagle Scout.

peaceful atmospherefeeling safespiritual closeness

St. Elizabeth Early Childhood Dev Prog

4.2(20)

1536 South Main Street, Rockford, IL

St. Elizabeth Early Childhood Development Program receives consistently positive feedback from families. Parents praise the caring and pleasant staff, safe environment for children, and the facility's community support services. The center is described as inclusive, well-managed, and built on Catholic principles.

Friendly and helpful staffsafe and supervised environment for childrencommunity-focused programs and services

Trinity Day Care

4(3)

215 N 1st St, Rockford, IL

One parent highlights a preschool teacher's dedication to kindergarten preparation and general staff kindness, while another notes the facility's organization and friendliness toward their child. A third reviewer specifically praises the staff's helpfulness and kindness. No negative experiences are reported in the available feedback.

dedicated preschool teacher preparing children for kindergartenhelpful and kind stafforganized operations

Map

Browse by type in Rockford

Child Daycare & Preschools in Rockford, Illinois

There are 19 child daycare & preschools in Rockford, Illinois, making up 86% of the 22 total childcare facilities in the city. Below you'll find a complete directory to help you compare and choose the right daycare for your child.

Based on Google reviews, daycares in Rockford have an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 across 14 rated facilities, with 29% scoring 4.5 stars or higher. Church Daycare facilities lead with an average of 4.8 stars. Our analysis covers 137 parent reviews.

When choosing a daycare in Rockford, consider visiting facilities in person, checking their licensing status, and asking about staff-to-child ratios, daily routines, and safety policies.

All Child Daycare & Preschools in Rockford

Showing 19 results

Rockford Day Nursery Early Learning Ctr
Child Daycare & Preschools
5

Rockford Day Nursery Early Learning Center receives perfect 5-star ratings from parents who praise the owner-operators Bryan and Amanda for their commitment, experience, and nurturing approach to child development. Parents consistently highlight the clean, safe, well-organized facility with engaging activities and spacious layout that accommodates children of various ages.

Caring and attentive staffexperienced owners with nearly 2 decades of backgroundclean and well-maintained facility
Address
2323 S 6th St, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 962-0834
Tender Beginnings Learning Center Ltd.
Child Daycare & Preschools
5

Parents consistently praise Tender Beginnings Learning Center for its experienced, passionate staff who provide caring and accommodating care. Children are described as happy, relaxed, and well-prepared for kindergarten, with strong emotional connections to their teachers that last years after attending.

Experienced and passionate staffcaring and accommodating caregiverschildren appear happy and relaxed
Address
2722 Broadway, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 519-9926
Shepherd Of Valley Pre-School
Child Daycare & Preschools
4.6

One parent highlights a peaceful and safe atmosphere with a strong spiritual connection, while another describes the facility as wonderful for worship. A third reviewer notes the space is nice for events like an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, observing that the pastor is also an Eagle Scout.

peaceful atmospherefeeling safespiritual closeness
Address
2715 South Mulford Road, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 397-5880
Circles Of Learning
Child Daycare & Preschools
4.4

Circles of Learning receives mostly positive reviews, with parents praising the caring staff, child development, and extended hours (6:30am-5:30pm). However, some parents have concerns about frequent unscheduled closures, staffing ratios, and communication issues.

caring and great staffchild learning and developmentaffordable
Address
5711 Wansford Way, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 226-8715
St. Elizabeth Early Childhood Dev Prog
Child Daycare & Preschools
4.2

St. Elizabeth Early Childhood Development Program receives consistently positive feedback from families. Parents praise the caring and pleasant staff, safe environment for children, and the facility's community support services. The center is described as inclusive, well-managed, and built on Catholic principles.

Friendly and helpful staffsafe and supervised environment for childrencommunity-focused programs and services
Address
1536 South Main Street, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 969-6526
Trinity Day Care
Child Daycare & Preschools
4

One parent highlights a preschool teacher's dedication to kindergarten preparation and general staff kindness, while another notes the facility's organization and friendliness toward their child. A third reviewer specifically praises the staff's helpfulness and kindness. No negative experiences are reported in the available feedback.

dedicated preschool teacher preparing children for kindergartenhelpful and kind stafforganized operations
Address
215 N 1st St, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 986-5437
Blackhawk Learning Connection
Child Daycare & Preschools
3.7

Blackhawk Learning Connection has mixed reviews with stark contrasts between experiences. Positive reviews praise the staff as nice, positive, and caring. However, multiple negative reviews cite poor communication, unprofessional office staff, dietary issues, questionable sick-day policies, and allegations of false reporting to authorities.

kind and positive staffchildren enjoy attendingfamily-oriented environment
Address
421 Buckbee St, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 962-8853
Genesis Day Care
Child Daycare & Preschools
3.7

One parent describes a positive summer drop-in experience where staff, specifically Miss Becky, provided reliable and well-cared-for childcare. In contrast, another parent reports a negative interaction regarding initial inquiries, citing rude and unprofessional behavior from staff.

Reliable summer drop-in careattentive staffchildren enjoyed the care provided
Address
724 Harrison Ave, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 397-4867
Ryan Jury Child Development Learning Ctr
Child Daycare & Preschools
3.6

Parents highlight the center as a high-quality, enjoyable environment, with one family noting positive experiences across multiple age groups from infant to preschool. A former student also recalls the staff as wonderful and the time spent there as fun and memorable.

high quality careexperienced staffengaging environment
Address
122 Williams Park, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 489-9501
Ymca Children'S Learning Center
Child Daycare & Preschools
3.3

One parent reports a highly positive experience, noting their three-year-old grandson eagerly looks forward to attending and feels comfortable from the first day. The reviewer highlights that staff are wonderful with children and the facility is clean and bright.

Enthusiastic child attendancecomfortable drop-off experiencewonderful staff
Address
2918 Glenwood Ave, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 971-4176
House Of Grace Learning Center/Day Care
Child Daycare & Preschools
3.1

House of Grace Learning Center receives highly polarized reviews. Most parents praise the director Mrs. Brown and staff, citing a nurturing environment, reliable care, and strong community involvement. However, serious allegations include claims of physical abuse resulting in a child's disability and concerns about inconsistent health policy enforcement.

Nurturing environmentdirector Mrs. Brown highly praisedreliable services
Address
518 N Court St, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 964-3117
Kindercare Learning Center 000225
Child Daycare & Preschools

Parents consistently praise KinderCare Learning Center for excellent staff care, communication, and child development. All reviewers gave 5-star ratings, highlighting kind and patient teachers who form strong bonds with children and provide daily updates through photos and the app. Parents report smooth transitions into care and children who are happy, learning, and thriving socially and academically.

Caring and patient staffresponsive communication with parentsdaily photo/video updates via app
Address
6473 E Riverside Blvd, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 636-2200
Kindercare Learning Ctr 300912
Child Daycare & Preschools

Parents consistently praise KinderCare Learning Center 300912 in Rockford for its caring, attentive staff who treat children as individuals and make them excited to attend. The director and teachers are noted for being responsive, helpful, and capable of handling specific needs like separation anxiety. Parents appreciate the communication app for daily updates and feel confident leaving their children in the facility's care.

Caring and attentive staffresponsive directorhandling of separation anxiety
Address
3890 Northridge Dr, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 877-7887
Playtown Preschool
Child Daycare & Preschools
Address
3300 Rural Street, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 399-0531
Roosevelt Community Education Center Inf
Child Daycare & Preschools
Address
978 Haskell Avenue, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 966-3250
Kindercare Learning Ctr 301302
Child Daycare & Preschools

Parents consistently praise KinderCare Learning Center 301302 in Rockford for excellent staff who are friendly, caring, and genuinely engaged with the children. Reviews highlight strong communication, a welcoming environment, and quality educational activities. Parents report feeling confident in their children's care and would recommend the facility to others.

Caring and friendly staffwelcoming environmentregular communication and photo updates
Address
4345 Maray Dr, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 226-9090
Kindercare Learning Centers 000094
Child Daycare & Preschools

Parents consistently praise Rockford KinderCare for its caring, professional staff and nurturing environment. Children are reported to be happy, engaged in learning, and show measurable academic progress. The center is noted for its cleanliness, organization, and strong leadership.

Attentive and kind staffdaily updates and communication with parentssafe and welcoming environment
Address
308 N Mulford Rd, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 398-2800
Montessori Private Academy INC
Child Daycare & Preschools
Address
8101 Sayer Rd, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 332-8101
Christ The Rock Lutheran Pre-School
Child Daycare & Preschools

A single review highlights the center's welcoming atmosphere and caring staff, noting that it feels like a second home with plenty of opportunities for involvement. The reviewer describes the experience as wonderful and the best, emphasizing a strong sense of community and fellowship.

welcoming atmospherecaring stafffeels like a second home
Address
8330 Newburg Road, Rockford, IL
Phone
(815) 332-5551

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Frequently asked questions

There are 19 child daycare & preschools daycares in Rockford, Illinois, out of 22 total childcare facilities in the city. Browse our directory to compare options and find the right fit for your child.
Based on parent reviews, daycares in Rockford have an average Google rating of 4.1 out of 5 across 14 rated facilities. About 29% of rated daycares score 4.5 stars or higher.
When choosing a daycare in Rockford, consider visiting facilities in person and checking:
  • Licensing status with Illinois's regulatory agency
  • Staff-to-child ratios (requirements vary by age group in Illinois)
  • Safety measures and cleanliness
  • Daily routines and educational curriculum
  • Parent reviews and ratings
  • Location and hours that fit your schedule
Rockford offers several types of childcare facilities:
  • Child Daycare & Preschools — 19 facilities
  • Headstart Programs — 2 facilities
  • Church Daycare — 1 facilities
Each type serves different needs — center-based facilities typically offer structured programs, while head start programs are federally funded for low-income families.
Daycare costs in Illinois typically range from $200 to $400 per week for full-time care, depending on the child's age, facility type, and location within the state. Infant care tends to be more expensive due to lower staff-to-child ratio requirements. Contact individual facilities in Rockford for current pricing.
Yes, daycare centers in Rockford must be licensed by Illinois's childcare licensing agency. Licensed facilities are required to meet standards for safety, health, staff qualifications, and staff-to-child ratios. You can verify a facility's license status through your state's licensing database.